Almost Paradise
by Coneflower Adams
Summary: Finished Sept. 7! Second part of the "Colors of the Past" series!
1. Default Chapter

Almost Paradise  
  
Second part in the "Colors of the Past" series. I'm doing some major rewriting for this fic.   
dracos_girl: The slave island was a different one than Pirate Island.  
Brianna: the 'pudding club' is an old term for "we're having a baby" :D   
  
***  
  
October 1948  
  
Kit sat on the dock near the SeaDuck, dangling his legs above the water. They had arrived in Cape Suzette only an hour before. Everyone had been overjoyed that Baloo and Rebecca were alive and home safely. Though Kit wasn't much for showing his excitement at the moment. Guinna spied him from the front window of Higher for Hire, and walked out to join him. Kit looked back at the sound of her footsteps. He gave her a small smile then turned back to the water.   
"Kit, are you okay?" Guinna asked, sitting down and grasping his hand.  
"Of course I'm okay" he started, trying to smile brighter for her. It fell flat on his face.   
Guinna shook her head, knowing him awfully well. She caressed his cheek and made him look at her. "What is wrong?" She punctuated every word.   
He didn't want to say anything, not wanting to spoil everyone's happiness. But, the words of his counselor surfaced in his mind. "So much has changed in one day. It's not for the worse this time, it's for the better. I am ecstatic that Baloo and Rebecca is alive. I just can't show it right now. Then there's the fact that you're carrying our baby." His eyes shifted to Guinna's stomach, his hand gently touching her there then drawing back quickly.   
"Kit, what is it?"  
"I'm afraid I'll hurt our baby" he mumbled.  
Guinna was almost in tears, hoping it wasn't starting again. She threw her arms around him. "No, no, no. You can't let what happened years ago rule your life. Remember, we worked through that together. You'd never hurt our baby or me or anyone again. You will be a wonderful father, because you have so much love to give." She made eye contact with him and held it. "You hear me?" Kit heaved then nodded. She pecked him on the cheek. "Feel better?"   
Kit smiled again. Even though it was small, this time it was genuine. "I love you."  
"I know."   
"I can't wait for our baby to comes in seven months."  
"Now that's more like it."  
  
***  
  
Baloo and Rebecca were given a tour of the 'fixed up' Higher for Hire. After they were done, Baloo trudged outside to find Kit. He hadn't seen his son since they landed. He found Kit outside, still on the dock staring out at the water.   
"Hey Kit" Baloo greeted, slapping him on the back. "Molly gave us the grand tour of the place. You kids have done a lot since we been gone. Even runnin' the business all by yourselves! I'm awfully proud of you."  
"Thanks Baloo. It feels good hearing that from you. It wasn't an easy start, but we somehow got back to living."  
"Well, you and the girls did good fixing up the place; delivering the cargo…"  
"You don't know the half of what happen after you… you know…disappeared" Kit said, forlorn. He'd hate to bring it up, but…"I had to go to war."  
There was an awkward silence. "Yikes…I had no idea. We had heard of a war, but didn't think Usland would be involved."  
"Those several months were the hardest and ugliest time in my whole life. And, I've seen some bad things in my life."  
"I'm sorry you had to go through that." Baloo rubbed his neck, thinking of something beside that awful subject. "How about that, you're gonna be a daddy too!"   
"Yeah. It's weird, Guinna and I have been married for five years now and we're finally having a baby. It's for the better, now that you're back."  
"I can't believe I'm gonna be a grandpaw, and you're gonna be a dad! I don't know if I can imagine my tough little orphaned cub as a father. Heck, I couldn't imagine myself a father. But, I became one without even thinking. I bet you'll be a way better dad than me."  
"No, I hope I'm as good a father as you. Though, I think I'll be a little more responsible."  
"Just don't let the little tike fly your plane while you take a nap."  
Kit laughed at the memory of when that happen so many years ago. "Don't worry, I'm not as lazy as you."   
Baloo dramatically slapped a hand to his forehead. "Ow…low blow, Kitboy."  
"What? Can't take the truth?" He laughed again when Baloo mockingly tried to hit him. "Okay, I'll stop! Say, what's going on with you and Rebecca?"  
"Nothin'. Why?"  
"You two were kind of close in that hut."  
Baloo rolled his eyes. "She would keep after me at the camp. Since we didn't have to argue 'bout our job, we became good friends. Besides, I wouldn't wanna be with Becky." He semi-shivered. "She still has a torch for O'Malley anyway. Y'know, that Molly has turned out to be a beautiful girl. She has a lotta courage."  
"She does. She has so much going for her. Did she tell you about Shawn?"  
"That's almost all she talked about in-between the information about what has happened since we been gone. She must really like him."  
"She adores him. But, she's punished right now. She can't see him for a week."  
"What did Molly do?"   
"She disobeyed me by inviting Shawn over when H&H was a dangerous place. I set rules and she disobeyed them so I had no choice."   
"Sounds like you already got that parenting thing down."   
Kit snorted. "Yeah, right! I'm not even close."  
  
****  
Molly sat with her mother on the blue and white striped couch in the living room Kit and Wildcat built on two years ago. Rebecca shook her head at all the changes that Molly had told her about in just an hour. She was becoming more overwhelmed just thinking about it. The kids had done better than she ever imagined…and she was glad for that.   
"Know what?" Molly said, breaking Rebecca's train of thought. "I'm graduating school this year."  
Rebecca's eyes widened. "You are?! You're suppose to be in eleventh grade."   
"Suppose too…but I was skipped a grade up when I was thirteen."  
"But how?"  
"Well," Molly started, fingering her cheek and feeling awkward saying it. "After …we thought you were gone and after Kit came home from war, I became very depressed. I had to get my mind off everything, so, all I did was study. My grades shot up so high they skipped me a grade. That's how I met Shawn because he's a year older than me."  
"Wow! My little girl has grown up too fast." Rebecca felt the need to mourn for all the time she missed especially with Molly going through the crucial ages of her early teens when a girl needs her mother the most. She made note to give Guinna and Kit tons of acclaim for raising Molly well. "What are your plans after high school?"  
"I plan to go to Usland University, and major in psychology."  
Rebecca blinked. "Psychology? What do you plan to do with that?"   
"I want to be a counselor, helping people through their problems especially people with emotional disorders and mental illness." Molly cracked an uneasy smile.   
"May I ask why?" Rebecca said with a slight edge to her voice.  
Molly sighed, knowing this was going to be hard for her mother to comprehend. "For a few years I have wondered what causes people to do bad things or have emotional problems. I want to understand why so maybe I could help them. I engrossed myself in books written by Sigmar Fraud, the greatest psychologist in the world. It is quite an interesting subject."  
Rebecca smiled half-heartedly, happy her daughter knew what she wanted to do in life but totally perplexed at her decision. "That's great that you know what you want to do. You're still so young. Last time I saw you, you were shorter than me and only interested in Danger Woman. Now, you're in love and want to work with crazy people."  
"Mom…" Molly heaved. She felt that was coming.   
Rebecca gasped. "I didn't mean it like that. I'm sorry."  
"It's all right. You been gone for a long time."  
"That's true." Rebecca looked around for a change of subject. "You should invite Shawn over for dinner so I can meet him."  
"That'd be great!" Molly smiled brightly. "It'll have to wait until next week though. I'm 'punished' from seeing him for a week."  
"Why is that?"  
"Disobeying Kit. He is one to enforce the rules especially after he came back from war. It's all right. Shawn is going to be really confused when he meets you." 


	2. chapter 2

Brianna- In my rewriting of the series, Molly's drive to be a physchologist is fueled from wanting to figuring out Karnage and help people like Kit with their emotional probs. So, it's both now. Don't ever think you're thinking too far into the characters :P   
  
***  
  
A week had past since Rebecca and Baloo's homecoming. They were slowly slipping back into the routine of everyday life. Baloo wasn't having much trouble. He had basically eaten them out of house and home since they weren't given much food during meals on the island though the captives were given enough not to starve. The H&H crew made a visit over to Louie's. The old ape literally flipped when he saw Baloo walk through the door like nothing had happen. So, things were going well.   
Baloo was extremely anxious to fly the SeaDuck - his baby. After six years, he hadn't lost his great skill for flying. He insisted on making cargo runs with Kit. Kit willingly let him take the controls while he resigned - just for now - to his seat as navigator. He didn't mind either. He loved the fact that he could be Baloo's navigator once more.  
"Could you tell me the course to San Kanaka, Kit? I'm a bit rusty on where that place is."  
Kit didn't even need a map, the course was imprinted in his brain. "260 East, Baloo."  
"Okay, Kit."  
"I told you, you can call me 'Lil' Britches' again. Even though I'm older now, I really missed you calling me that. It always made me feel special."  
Baloo smiled. "I loved you calling me 'Papa Bear'. It's just," he fidgeted in his seat and looked over at his -adult- son. ", you're not a kid anymore. When I…left…you were still a teenager. Now you're as tall has I am and you're an adult and…"  
Kit shook his head. "Papa Bear, stop. No matter how old I get, I'll always be your son. If it makes you feel weird calling me that, you can hand down the nickname to my kid. But it would never bother me if you call me that."  
"Hey, that's a swell idea" Baloo agreed, brightening. He reached out and for old time's sake, ruffled Kit's now thick light brown hair. "So, what's with the fedora?" Kit fiddled with the brown fedora on his lap.   
"Remember Rex Burback? He was the one who gave me the trunk that belonged to my parents. Well, he stopped by H&H a few years ago and gave me this fedora. It belonged to Vincent, my father. Since I was getting kind of old to wear my baseball cap backwards, I decided to start wearing this."  
Baloo frowned, feeling suddenly downtrodden. Why did something else have to change? No matter how small the something was. "What happen to your navigator's cap?"  
"It's actually hanging on the bedpost on my side of the bed. I still wear it something, like when we take a trip to the park or something. I hope to hand it down to my kid."  
"That's good to hear. Uh, not-so-short-stuff told me you've been teaching her how to fly. Is she any good?"  
"Oh yeah. She's been eager to learn ever since I told her I'd teach her when she turned sixteen. Her birthday was back in July, so she's had some lessons from me. She's pretty good too! It's not Molly's desire to be a pilot anymore, but she still loves to fly."   
"Whoa…I can't believe Buttonnose is sixteen and learning to fly. That is incredible."  
"Yeah, it is." Kit glanced over in Baloo's direction wearing an affectionate smile. "I still think I'm dreaming."  
"What do ya mean?"  
"Being here with you. I anticipated I'd never see you again, but here you are. It's great having you back, Papa Bear."  
Baloo looked over at his son. "It's great to be back here with you too, Lil' Britches."  
  
* * *   
  
Back at Higher for Hire, Guinna sat at the desk busy answering the phone and taking down deliveries for the week. Rebecca watched silently and rather bored, leaning against the desk with her arms folded. She was ready to take her business back, but it seemed that she wasn't getting it back anytime soon. Guinna, setting down her pen, looked up at the presence before her.  
"Need anything, Rebecca?"  
"I was wondering" Rebecca hesitantly started. "When can I get back to work?"  
"You don't have to. I got the job covered."  
Rebecca pushed herself from the desk and stepped behind it. "But I want to work. When your belly is big and your feet are bloated, you'll want me to step in."  
"Well, until then, I have the job." Guinna stood, leading Rebecca to the door. "So, why don't you relax. Go shopping or go for a walk or get a hobby."   
Rebecca gawked at her. "I never had a hobby. Business was my hobby."  
Guinna rolled her eyes at that. "You can't work forever. I got an idea. Do you remember the old, dumpy overgrown lot down the harbor?"  
"Yes." Rebecca replied, laughing. "I wonder what dope bought that."  
"Five months ago, Kit and I bought that land."   
"Oh" Rebecca closed her mouth feeling a bit of guilt. "I meant dope in a good way?"  
This time it was Guinna's turn to laugh. "It's okay. I'm not offend. We been cleaning it up and want to build a house on it, but we haven't be able to get started."  
"You want me to build a house?"   
"Nooo" Guinna laughed again. "I've wanted to start a garden in the backyard. Well, there's not like a lot of backyard, but the grass has really grown. I bet a garden would look great there."  
"Gardening? I have never gardened in my life!"  
"Perfect! You can learn. It's not hard. I had to do gardening a long time ago and it was fun."  
"Fun?" Rebecca gave her daughter an uptight expression, but finally gave in. "All right. I'll do gardening."  
"Great! Trust me, you'll like it. Here, I have twenty dollars on me" Guinna said, reaching into her skirt pocket. "Go buy some plants from the nursery up the road. Buy things like foxgloves and pansies and some foliage. The foliage does real good here."  
"What's foliage?"  
"Like hostas or peace lilies. You can get my favorite, stargazer lilies!" Guinna said, excited.  
Rebecca reached out to offer the money back. "You know so much about plants, you should go buy them and I'll stay here."  
Guinna placed her hands on her hips. "No, I want you to surprise me. Just don't get festuca grass. I'm allergic."  
"Okay, no festu…whatever grass. Gotcha."  
"Now go have fun. You need it." Guinna pushed Rebecca out the door and shut it quickly.  
Rebecca stood there for several moments, staring at the closed door and muttered, "I just got back and my child is already pushing me out the door."  
  
* * *   
  
It was almost evening when Baloo and Kit arrived in San Kanaka. Baloo was tired, and it showed. He was prone to getting tired a lot more then he use to…his laziness didn't help. He also didn't want to except he was getting old. They were loading some seriously heavy cargo on the SeaDuck. Baloo was having a hard time with the extreme weight - at least to him it was extreme, but didn't want to admit it. He glanced over at Kit who was lifting the seventy pound crates without breaking a sweat. Baloo removed his pilot cap, wiping the sweat from his brow.  
"Papa Bear, why don't you go in the Duck. I can finish this up."  
It was an offer Baloo was willing to take. Instead of heading into the Duck, he plopped down on a dock leg. "I can't believe how strong he's gotten. Heck, he's even eye to eye with me."  
After Kit had hauled the rest of the crates off the SeaDuck, it was time to take leave for Cape Suzette. "Why don't you let me fly home."  
"Naw, I can handle it" Baloo said, heading for the pilot seat.   
"But, you look tired. I'll fly home."   
"I said…" Baloo paused. He looked at the pilot seat then the navigator seat then at Kit - who was now the pilot. "Okay. You can fly back."  
"Thank you." Kit sat down and started the plane. "You don't have to worry, I know how to fly."  
"And, you're good at it, Kit. No, you're great at it. It's just…" Baloo stopped. He strapped himself into the seat.  
"It's just what, Baloo?"  
"Nothing. Let's just get home."   
* * *   
Kit and Baloo landed in the Cape Suzette harbor around eleven o'clock. Rebecca had been out all day and was exhausted from searching for the plants Guinna wanted. She had laid out on the couch going in and out of sleep. Molly had left the radio on after she went up to bed. The two bears walked in the building. Kit headed upstairs right away to join Guinna.   
"Good night, Papa Bear."  
"G'night Kit-boy" Baloo replied, walking into the living room. He saw Rebecca sleeping on the couch. A smile crossed his face at the sight. He switched off the radio and sat down on his makeshift bed next to the wall.  
Rebecca stirred from the sound of the bed creaking, and lifted her head. "Baloo?"  
"Go back to sleep, Becky."  
"I want to talk to you for a minute" Rebecca said, sitting up.  
Baloo raised an eyebrow. "Right now?"  
"Please?"  
"Okay" he said, getting up and sitting down beside Rebecca.   
"Have you noticed how different the kids are?" she asked, slowly.  
"Yeah, I have."  
"It seems that they don't……need us anymore."  
"I've seen that too. Today, Kit treated me like a kid saying that I look tired 'cause I was having trouble picking up a few crates."  
"That's what I'm saying. Today, Guinna wouldn't let me work. I did my job for five years, and that doesn't include what I did before H&H. She's doing my job and I have nothing to do. The kids made it without us. It's great that they did, but I feel kind of useless now."  
"Me too. Kit is such a great pilot. He carries a job and a family, something I could never of done at his age."  
"Molly is already a senior. She's grew up to so fast. My little girl isn't so little anymore."  
"They don't need us no more."  
"Now, what do we do? I feel so alone."  
Baloo patted Rebecca on the back. "You're not alone, Becky. We still have each other." 


	3. chapter 3

Writer notes: Okay, this chapter has to be my most intense one yet. I literally re-written all of it and added four new scenes. It sort of deals with what we're going through right now...war. This part has been in my mind for a few months now, so it wasn't spawned from the war right now but falls oddly around it. It gives a parallel account of the Second Great War in the TaleSpin universe. I warn you this chap is HEAVY reading!   
  
* * *   
  
November 1948  
  
Baloo woke to an empty building. It was Sunday, and everybody had gotten up early to go to the first service at church. They decided that Baloo would most likely fall asleep during the service, so why not just leave him in bed?   
Baloo peered around the bedroom he use to share with Kit, which now housed a full size bed Kit shared with his wife. He shook his head, and was about to turn when a flash of white caught his eye. On the small wooden desk by the far left wall lay a notebook.   
Out of curiosity, Baloo picked it up and opened it. Kit's handwriting laden the lines of the paper. Kit wasn't one for writing much ((even though the writing gift of his mother was deep inside)), it made it interesting to see what he had written. It took a moment for Baloo to realize it was a journal. He began to put it down - not wanting to intrude on his son's privacy, but two words made him stay. It read:   
  
January 19, 1943  
My counselor says I should keep a journal. He said it will help me work through my problems. I told him I can't get control over my depression. I know it's only been two months, but I should be stronger than this! I don't think this journal will help, but Guinna and Molly are urging me to try it. Here I am, writing about my problems. I'll start from the beginning where I think it began. Here goes nothing.  
  
_Bloodshed and Warfare_  
The life I've led so far has been hard to say the least. Although the good memories are there, the bad times overpower them and I can't escape.   
I couldn't do anything. I couldn't save them. I wanted to so badly, but I couldn't. They fell. I tried. I really did, but…  
We worked through their death together: Guinna, Molly, and I. We got through and came out strong. It was almost two months after their fall that Guinna and I decided to get married. I had proposed to her on her birthday in May '41, the same month we graduated from high school.   
After we were married, her and Molly moved into H&H leaving behind the apartment in town. Everything was all right. I had taken the job of shipping the cargo and Guinna to take the orders. We were doing well until I got the letter…it told me I had been drafted for the coming war.  
My heart felt as though it stopped. We had heard about the coming war after the Canberrians had bombed the small tropical island of San Kanaka in the Tangelo Ocean. Usland had been trying to make that island our territory, but Torra ((yes, the same Torra that wanted the jet blueprints)) had been trying to gain control of it for Canberra. Usland was planning to drive Torra out of Canberra, but Usland had to pick up speed in planning when the Canberrian army invaded Forsynthia. That's when Usland had to go in and help. Amicalola, Ellijay, and Anglo were joining to help in the liberation of Forsynthia. Usland also believed that Torra was hiding a secret weapon that could destroy a whole country - the atomic bomb. We needed to get in Canberra to find that bomb before it was used, and capture Torra.  
Just four months after Guinna and I were married, I was shipped off to bootcamp in Barlow. I spent six weeks there in intense training. They even taught us how to kill a man with a single bare hand. You could of considered any of us soldiers living weapons when we left the camp. I wondered why they had taught us all that especially me because I was only suppose to be a pilot for the ball turret gunner planes. I even spent my nineteenth birthday there in camp.   
I had heard horror stories about the turret gunner planes. The army needed thousands of soldiers to fire the turret gunner, because rumor had it every time one of those planes went up, a soldier was killed. The reason why was the gunner was located on the belly of the plane. It became the most vulnerable spot on the plane which made it an easy target. The enemy could just shoot the gunner out and the plane would be defenseless - easy to take down.   
My old friend, Ernie, had been drafted into the same unit as me. He was assigned to be a turret gunner. He threw up for days after he heard the news. I was the pilot of the plane he would go up in. I knew I had to do the best I could to keep Ernie alive. We did good on the first three runs, but Ernie wasn't lucky on our fourth run.  
A Canberrian plane flew up from behind us. Ernie didn't see him in time; I didn't either. The other gunner shot at us, and took out Ernie as fast as a snap. My co-pilot took the controls so I could ran back there to the turret. Ernie's body was bloody and wholly, but he was alive. I pulled him out of the turret. Ernie looked up at me with red eyes and he spoke low. He wanted me to recite the famous war poem we had heard at bootcamp:  
  
'From my mother's sleep I fell into the state And I hunched in it's belly till my wet fur froze Six miles from earth lost in my dream of life I awoke to black flak and the nightmare fighters When I died, they washed me out of the turret with a hose'   
  
He tried to hang on as long as he could, but Ernie died in my arms. Right there in the sky. I was crushed for the third time in less than a year…it was like a third blow to the head. But what really set me off was when they did wash Ernie out of the turret with a hose. I never saw a sight so sickening in my life. I relived that moment almost every time I landed my plane. I never wanted to see blood again, or a hose.   
Months passed with the same dangerous routine. The Canberrian army did not plan to go anywhere anytime soon. We hadn't found the atomic bomb or Torra yet. My plane hadn't gotten far one day in mid-September when we were shot down over Forsynthia. My co-pilot, Rick Taven, and I crash landed the plane into an area of woods. Rick had been knocked unconscious, but I was awake and crawled to check on our turret gunner man. He was dead…as I suspected. Rick and I had several injuries, but we were alive. Rick had a dislocated shoulder and gashes on his legs from the glass of the windshield breaking. I had a broken left wrist and a bad gash on my forehead that was bleeding into my eyes.   
That wasn't the worst part. Three Canberrian soldiers found us in less than five minutes after our crash. They pulled us from the wreckage - not gently either, pointing their guns on our faces and yelling harshly in their language. I knew this had to be it. We had survived the plane crash, but we wouldn't survive the enemy's guns. The only thought that went through my mind was, "I'm not going to see my family again. Guinna will be a widow before she's even twenty. I don't want to leave them like this." But luck had endured for us, at least a little longer.   
The Canberrian soldiers bound our hands behind our back. It was painful for Rick and me since that's where are main injuries were. Tears were streaming down our faces for hours. The blood from my gash had finally stopped, but dry blood was burning my eyes. The soldiers lead us to a small camp in the woods where there were a few more of them. We stayed in their custody for a week or so, but it felt like a lifetime. They blindfolded us then beat us everyday at any random time. One soldier would cock his gun right by our ears, take off our blindfolds, and hold the gun to our heads as if he was about to shoot us but would resolve in laughter and walk away. We figured we were going to die of our injuries or the soldiers would kill us.   
I never had planned an escape. I could barely think let alone plan an escape. But, late one night I found my bonds loosened. Whether it was an accident or just pure luck, I took full advantage of it. Our guard stood in front of us facing the same direction we were. Everything they had taught us in bootcamp especially defending yourself with a single bare hand all made sense in that one snap of the enemy's neck. That was the first time I had ever killed a person. Out of everything I been through, that was the first time. I had to move fast and try not to dwell over it. Escape was the main thing in my mind, so I took the guard's guns and untied Rick, handing him one. One of the soldiers had awoken and was about to shoot us when Rick and I shot him first. That started a bloody dominos effect. But in the end, we had won.   
Rick and I left that place, getting as far as we could before collapsing in exhaustion. I have no recollection of what happen after that. I woke up in a hospital bed. The first sight I saw made me think I had died and was in heaven. Guinna was sitting at my bedside. She filled me in on what happened. Anglo soldiers found us, and we were shipped to friendly territory (I can't even remember where). Guinna had been called, and she rushed to the hospital to be by my side. I was there for two weeks recovering then I finally got to go home around mid-October. I received my discharge papers not long after that. That's when the nightmares started.  
I can't go on. It's too hard, too soon. I tried to kill my wife…  
  
The writing stopped with those cryptic words. He tried to kill his wife? Baloo was cemented to the floor, not knowing what to think of that. There had to be an explanation. It might be too hard for Kit or Guinna to tell, but he had to know what happen.   
  
***  
  
The rest of the crew got back from church a couple hours later, taking the time to eat an early lunch while out. Molly had just came from her room changing from her good clothes to her blue capri pants and white blouse.   
"Hey Molly, can I talk to you for a minute?"  
"Sure, Baloo" she replied, noticing the distraught look on his face. She wondered what in the world he was up to when he lead her into the SeaDuck, shutting the door. "What's going on?"  
Baloo wrung his hat, nervously. "I need to ask you something. You don't have to answer if you don't wanna talk about it or don't know anything. But I need to know what happened after Kit got home from the war."  
Molly's eyes grew wide, and she bit her lip. "What do you mean?"  
"This." Baloo handed her the notebook, pointing out the last sentence on the page. Molly read over it, taking several moments before speaking.   
"Kit was having nightmares about being back in the enemies' camp. Almost every night he would relive being there in his dreams. I'd hear him even from downstairs screaming. I'd run upstairs to find Guinna comforting him. It went on for a few weeks until one night the scream didn't come from Kit."  
  
~~~flashback~~~  
  
The nightmares would not stop. Kit tossed and turned, screaming out from the taunting in his mind of the beatings and threats from the Canberrian soldiers. Kit threw himself awake but in a daze. He raised his hands to find them free of the bonds they had wrapped around him. He peered around in the dark then slipped out of the covers, not even realizing he was in bed. He caught sense that the enemy was close by.   
He crepe carefully toward the dim light streaming from across the room. The light flashed off, and soft footsteps were heard. The enemy was approaching. Kit molded himself to the wall next to the doorway awaiting to strike. In a matter of seconds, he had slammed the enemy against the wall - a scream erupting before hitting. Kit wrapped his right hand around the figure's neck and proceeded to squeeze, his eyesight hazy - only seeing the face of the enemy. He wanted revenge for every hit, for every threat, for the war…  
"Kit?" a gasp came from the doorway behind him. "What are you doing?" Molly's small, horrified voice exclaimed.   
Everything froze. Kit loosened his grip then ultimately dropped it at the sight of his flushed wife's face before him. He stepped back several paces as Guinna slid to the floor gasping for breathe. Molly ran to her side. Kit watched in utter horror and confusion then looked down at his raised hands. How could he do this? He raced from the building to the SeaDuck, and flying off into the night.  
  
***  
  
The engines of the SeaDuck came to a halt. The sun had already rose welcoming the morning. Kit drug his feet, dreading the fact that he needed to go back to H&H. What had come over him that night? Did he have temporary insanity? He didn't even stay to see if Guinna was all right. He didn't have to open the door to H it opened for him. He looked startled into his wife's eyes.   
"Hi" Guinna murmured.   
"Hi" Kit replied, not knowing what else to say.  
"I was worried about" Guinna started. "I didn't know where you were."  
"I was…" He stopped, noticing the light bruising on her neck. A sob escaping from his chest. Kit fell to his knees, and wrapped his arms around Guinna's waist - crying into her skirt. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I'm sorry…" he repeated over and over. Guinna knelt down, embracing him and smoothing his thick hair.   
Minutes maybe hours had passed, they sat there locked together. Guinna was thankful Molly was at school. She stayed there with Kit for as long as he wanted. Kit finally pulled away.   
"Are you-?"   
Guinna didn't have to ask. She knew he meant her neck. "Me and Molly went to the clinic a few blocks away. They didn't ask questions, just said it was minor bruising nothing is damaged. I'll be all right. I'll heal." Kit nodded, looking down. "Kit, I need to ask you to do something important for me."   
"What is it?"  
"Start seeing a counselor. You been through one of the most traumatic experiences. You need help in working through it so you can come back to me and Molly." She placed her hand under his chin, making him look her in the eye. "You're all we have. Will you do this for us? For yourself?"  
"Yes" Kit answered after several moments. "Can I ask for something?" Guinna nodded. "Can I sleep in Molly's room for a while? I don't want anything to happen again."  
"Sure, you can. I'll move some of her stuff in our room today before she gets home. We'll get through this together, Kicker." She gave him a long, warm hug for good measure. "I love you, Kit."  
"Thank you…I love you, Gigi."  
  
~~~end flashback~~~  
  
"It took a while, but Kit got through all the trauma he went through. Not to say that he's the same person he was before all that happened…because he isn't all the way. Some days he can be loving and playful like he use to be, but on bad days, he's real quiet and tries to stay away from us. The bad days don't happen as often as they use to, which I'm very glad for that. Though he can be pretty strict. Kit's problems are the main reason I want to be a counselor."  
Baloo was speechless, for once, his mind running over the book size information she had given him. He had never imagined that -that- would of ever happen to his son. "You kids…I had no idea."  
"Can you keep it that way?" Baloo cocked an eyebrow. "Don't say a word about what I told you" Molly continued. "Kit hates to talk about it, or even be reminded of it."  
Baloo put a hand over his heart. "Your secret is safe with me."   
"Thanks, Baloo." She reached over to hug him. "I'm sorry you had to find out about this." 


	4. chapter 4

Writer's notes: This chapter is short, but it starts the story for the next story in the series ((which I can't wait to get to)). Thank yall for the reviews for the last chapter! I wrote it all in four hours ((that was tiring!)), and I wanted to get it just right, guess I did :)   
  
***  
  
Rebecca drew from her dirt-stained pants' pocket a green handkerchief, and daintily patted the sweat from her brow. She was close to being finished with the new shade garden Guinna talked her into planting. She hated to admit it, but she enjoyed gardening most of the time. Right now, she wasn't sure she did. This stubborn weed just wouldn't come up!   
"Hey mom" Molly greeted as she walked up.  
"Molly!" Rebecca looked up, stuffing the handkerchief back in her pocket. "What are you doing here?"  
"I had some time on my hands, so I came to keep you company."  
"Thank you, honey. I'm having a hard time getting the this weed up" she said, tugging on the big weed.  
"Here. Let me help."  
Molly grabbed the weed from it's base, and they both pulled at the tough weed. Finally, it gave way letting the two bearess fall backwards into the grass. They looked at each other wearing equally startled expressions then melted into laughter. Molly stood first, helping her mother up.   
"Thanks, Molly."  
"No problem, Mom."  
"Now that that darn weed is gone, I can plant these begonias." Rebecca picked up the small gardening shovel she had laid aside, and started digging. Molly stood over her with hands in her pockets, glancing down the walk of the bay.   
"Say, mom" she said, hesitantly. "Do you remember Thomas O'Mally?"  
Rebecca smiled at the name she was very fond of. "Of course, I do. We were very close, but we found our relationship wouldn't work out with him always gone singing."  
"Yeah, I knew that."  
"Why?" Rebecca asked, looking up.   
"Well, when he came to visit us after you…you know…anyway. He was devastated. It took him awhile to get over the fact that you were gone. But he came to visit many times over the years. He even would take me to gigs he had on other islands and take me to the zoo or the park when he came to visit."  
Rebecca was startled but in an excited way. "He did all those things with you?"  
"Yep." Molly nodded. "He said he loved you too much to not stick around and help take care of me. He helped me a lot, and he said I reminded him so much of his daughter, Marie."  
"Did he ever find his children?"  
"No. He never did."  
"Does he still come by?" Rebecca asked nonchalantly, placed a red begonia in the hole. O'Malley had been the first man she had loved ever since Lucas died. Even though their relationship didn't work out, they both had always held a torch for each other.   
"Yeah. In fact, he's…"  
A familiar scat song suddenly filled the harbor, growing closer and closer. Rebecca stood, the gardening shovel dropping to the ground. "Wait…that sounds like Thomas."  
Just then, the voice was right on them and there was O'Malley walking pass them.   
"Thomas!" Rebecca squealed in more delight than she thought capable of.   
The orange cat almost snapped his neck to look her way. "Reebecca?" He stared wide eyed at her for several seconds then fainted.  
"Thomas!" Rebecca shouted, running to his side. Molly was right behind.  
"O'Mally, wake up."  
O'Mally opened his eyes to slits. "Reebecca, are you a ghost?"   
Rebecca cracks a smile, and placed her arm under his head. "No, I'm real."  
"You must be an angel."  
"I'm alive, Thomas. I'm as real as you are."  
He touched her cheek. "You are real. But, how?"  
"It's a long story."  
"Hey, O'Mally." Molly leaned over from her standing position. "Remember over the phone, I told you I had a big surprise for you? Well, surprise!" They helped O'Mally to his feet.  
"Reebecca, you're alive!" O'Mally cried, embracing her tightly. "You're here with me and Molly and you're here. When did…what…how? I was just here six months ago."  
"I'll explain later. Baloo is alive too."   
"He is?" O'Malley slapped his knee. "That is something! How I missed you, baby."   
"I missed you too, Thomas."  
Molly gleamed with elation as she watched the two reunite. They had been separated so long by their own lives. Now, she knew, they could finally be together.   
  
***  
  
The week had been a very odd week for Molly. First, Baloo had asked her about Kit's journal entry then she had reunited O'Malley with her mother. So far the emotion had been up and down, why was she walking into a prison meeting room? The prison was dark; the only light filtering in was from the afternoon sun through the barred windows high up the wall. The cold surroundings made her uncomfortable even though there were guards in several random places. She knew it was wrong not to of told anyone she was doing this, but she had to find out why he did what he did.  
Molly waited a few minutes before the opposite door opened, and Karnage was escorted to the chair across the table. He wore a blue prison uniform that did not suit him, and shackles hung from his wrists.   
"Molly Cunningham, what a surprise" Karnage said, an amused smirk across his face. "When the little guarding person told me I had a visitor, I never wouldn't of guessed it would be you or any of that family of yours."  
Molly didn't reply. She pulled out a notebook from her knapsack and set it down on the table, slipping out the pen held in the bind. Karnage looked at her, puzzled. She had never acted so calm around him before. She brushed a strain of hair out of her face, and looked up at Karnage.  
"Now, let's get started?" Molly said.  
Karnage still wore a puzzled look. "What are you here for?"  
"I'm going to be counseling you."  
"I do not understand. I do not need this counseling. Beside, I thought you hated me, yes/no?"   
Molly paused in thought. She wanted to say just the right words. "I realized recently that I could either hate you for the rest of my life, or I could help you." She leaned closer to the table, and said lowly, "I want to know exactly WHO you are."   
Karnage cocked an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"  
"I've studied psychology and psychopathology and disorders and emotional distress since I was twelve years old" she spoke assertively. "You are not the main reason why I engrossed myself with all that, but you are a part of the reason. The 'why' question has plagued my mind for years. I'm here to get the answer from you."  
"You are very confusing, Little Miss Molly. What is this 'why' you talk about?"  
"Let's make an easy start. Tell me about your parents."  
"I can't understand why you want to know of my parents."  
Molly sighed. Running around in circles. She guessed he'd be difficult to crack. "Please work with me, Karnage" she said, firmly. "What was your father like?"  
"What can I say that is not obvious; he was a pirate." Karnage shrugged. "He was captain of the ship, Persephony, in the Anglo-Saxs territory."  
"Was he a good father?"  
"Of course not! He was a rotten, greedy thief."  
"Sound familiar?"  
Karnage sat back in his chair, a hand to his chest. "Who do you mean? My spectacular self?"  
Molly rolled her eyes. "It gets tiring to hear you refer to yourself in those kind of words. Yes, I mean you."  
"I am not like him."  
"I've known you, Karnage, almost all my life. Rotten, greedy thief sounds like a pretty good description of you to me. You have stolen, kidnapped, attempted murder…"  
"Stop with your estupid accusations."  
"It's all true!" Molly shouted.  
"I KNOW IT IS!" Karnage yelled, standing instantly and slamming a fist to the table.   
Molly stared at him, frightened, then, "Is everything all right, Miss Cunningham?" The guard was at the door.  
"Yes sir, everything is fine."  
Karnage was peering down at her, his eyes narrowed. He sat again after several moments.   
"Now" Molly started, holding her ground and desperately holding her cool. "What was your father like?"  
"He had not a care in the world but for his treasures. He could anger easily. I would stay far from him. He never approved of me."  
Molly scratched that fact down in her notebook. "Why is that?"  
"I have heard how fathers should be proud to have a son to have a legacy. My father did not want that. He wanted to be the only one, the only legend. I was his burden from a barmaid who he never married. I left his crew when I was eighteen to take my own crew. I would show him too, because I was the imagineerer of the air pirates. I knew that I would finally have his approval."  
"And did you?"  
Karnage clinched his fist, holding back an past of anger. "Of course not! I can never. He died in an Anglo-Saxs prison. He never cared of my ingenious notion of robbing cargo planes and plundering cities. I made myself the best, but he did not care."  
Molly sat there stunned and taken aback by how open Karnage was being to her. He was shackled and in prison…what could he lose? But could it be that his behavior was due to the fact that all he wanted was his father's approval?   
"Times up."  
"The hour is up already?" Molly asked, turning to face the guard. He nodded, and beckoned her to follow him out.   
"Will you be back?"   
Molly stopped at the door. "I'll try to come every week."  
Karnage nodded, his chin resting in his palm. "Very well." 


	5. chapter 5

((still November 1948))  
  
"Yeah, we'll be home in a couple hours."  
  
"All right, Kit, I'll leave the office lamp on. Be careful, and I love you."  
  
"I love you too, babe."  
  
Kit set the radio down, switching it off. The sky was eclipsed in a blanket of bright stars, sprinkled over a dense blackness. He and Baloo had dropped off a late shipment of fruit that needed to be in Barlow by morning. Baloo had sacked out in the passenger seat after hauling the cargo on the drop-off dock. Kit sighed, wishing he had company. He always thought the darkness meant loneliness, and he hated that feeling. Maybe the newly installed A.M. radio would help. He reached for the dial.   
  
"Hey Kit" Baloo's sleepy voice caught him off guard, making him jump. "How much longer 'til home?"  
  
"About two hours, Baloo. I just called Guinna to tell her we were on our way."  
  
"That's good." The old bear yawned, widely. His little nap felt great, but there was something itching at the back of his head he needed to relieve. Baloo scratched the back of his head obliviously. He hoped Molly would forgive him for what he was about to do. "Say, Kit, can I ask you a question?"  
  
Kit turned to him, smiling, the dim light from the plane's ceiling reflecting off his face. "Go right ahead."  
  
"Uh…" Baloo hesitated, wading through the 'sleep muddle' in his mind. "I know you hate talking about this, but what happened? In Forsynthia…when you were shot down?"  
  
Kit bent down his head, a grave curl in his voice, "How do you know…?"  
  
"I have my sources" Baloo replied, lamely.  
  
"Molly" Kit scowled under his breath as he gripped the control steer.  
  
"No, no. Don't blame Molly. She only had a small part in it. Besides, I had to pry it from her." Baloo drew in a deep breathe. "I been to war, you know that. I went through some tough shick in Bago-Shiloh. I know what it's like."   
  
Silence grew in the small cabin. Kit's iron grip on the control steer seemed to tighten, if that were possible. Every inch of him held a deep hatred for this subject, even more than it held for Don Karnage. It wasn't just the torment of being a POW, but the awful memories of blood and death in his very own plane. How dare his own government submit their citizens to that!   
  
Baloo assumed the subject had been forsaken, at least out loud. Then, "The worse part was thinking that Guinna would be a widow by twenty; that her and Molly would be left alone. I didn't want the story of my parents' death to repeat itself."  
  
"But, you made it!" Baloo interrupted. "You're the strongest person I know!"   
  
It burned. Those words. He wasn't strong.   
  
A reckoning in Kit's face told Baloo exactly what was swimming around in his son's head. Baloo wasn't one for reading people too good, but he knew his son. He knew he had struck a cord. "Kit, ya got to stop puttin' yourself down. You do what you have to do. There may be nothing that can change the past, but you need to stay living in the present."  
  
"I know" a murmured voice said. Baloo sat back at Kit's response. He didn't tug anymore cords after that.   
  
***  
  
February 1949  
  
Molly walked into the prison meeting room just as she did over two months before. She had met almost every week since late November with Don Karnage, counseling him and digging into the truths behind his being. He was a difficult patient if there ever was one! Her patience level grew sharper the more she met with him. All that she had learned so far, the information Karnage delivered her, was definitely helping in the understanding of who he was. Out of all the horrible things he did to her, she finally saw him as a real person.   
  
Today would be the last time they met before Karnage's trial. It was now or never. She had to talk to him about the subject she keep avoiding.   
  
"Hullo, Molly" Karnage greeted, flashing one of his spectacular smiles. "Your week was good, yes/no?"   
  
Molly sat across from him. "It was fine. How was your week?"  
  
"The usual. You know, a fight here, a stabbing there. It all runs together along with the striped uniforms. What do you want to talk about today?" He sat back in his chair, an arrogant presence forming around him. "I would like to talk about my accomplishments as the greatest pirate in the Usland Territory."  
  
Molly rolled her eyes. "You know we're not here to talk about your 'accomplishments' that derive on the side of wrong." She embellished 'wrong'. Karnage sat up at attention. Oh yes, she knew how to handle him by now. "I want you to tell me about any of your past loves."  
  
"Besides treasure and fame?"   
  
Molly let out a kind of laugh/snort. Karnage adored skating around the bush. You either had to lose your patience with him or just ignore him. "That's what I'm shooting for."  
  
Karnage now leaned against the table, shackled hands clasped together. "Besides a fling here and there, I had no love but Guinna." Molly cringed at the thought of him loving her sister. It still disgusted her. "It is not what you think! I loved Guinna for what she gave me. I have never wanted her the way you think, not an attraction."  
  
"If you didn't want her because you were attracted to her, then why?"  
  
"Because of this…" Karnage pulled from a pocket in his prison uniform a browned sheet of paper, folded and bent. Molly accepted it as he offered, and opened it to find a colorful drawing of the beach and ocean. She looked up, confused. "What does this have to do with anything?"  
  
"The first time I met Guinna in the slave camp, she was not scared of me. I was highly impressed with her courage to stand up to the amazing Don Karnage. She gave me this drawing, and wished it would make me happy. I had never been given such a thing or been told such a thing." His voice lowered into a dangerous murmur. "She was special to me. I -needed- her."  
  
Molly's mind was racing with so many explanations, but she knew his reasoning. "Guinna was the first person who gave you the compassion you lacked heavily all your life. You put all your energy into her just because of one small thing she did for you. Don't you realize you could of gotten that just by living a normal life!"  
  
"Being a pirate was my life! I could never of been anything else!"  
  
"You never tried! The only reasons you stayed a pirate was you wanted your father to give you what you lacked. When he didn't give it to you, you found an alternate root and subjected a child - who is still haunted by your actions to this day - to the hardship of giving you what you needed. Not only that, but you love to control."  
  
"Control is in my blood. It's what I know best!"  
  
"How can you know how to control best, when you can't even control yourself!"  
  
"But I can control myself!" Karnage yelled viciously, standing in a repeat of several outburst. The guard at the door peeked in, not even bothering to ask if everything was all right. He was use to the usual outbursts by now.   
  
Karnage sat back down in one swift motion. He stared at the wall to his right, chin in hand with a frustrated air about him. They were silent. Tension rarely interceded in their meetings. Molly would wait until he calmed.   
  
"Is that all for today?" Karnage asked.   
  
"If you want it to be."  
  
Karnage switched his eyes to connect with hers. "I don't want it to be. I want you to stay."  
  
"Why?" Molly fished. He had said this before, but not in such a serious tone.  
  
"Can't I enjoy another's company? Is that a crime too?" he replied, bored.  
  
Molly watched him with suspicious eyes. "No it isn't. But, I have nothing more to talk to you about. This is the last meeting until your trial."  
  
"I know." Karnage extended his hand to rest on Molly's. "Give a message to Guinna. Tell her I'm sorry for the hurt I caused her. Give her this." He slid the drawing across the table.  
  
Molly nodded, pocketing the paper. "I'll see you at the trial."  
  
"Good-bye, Molly."  
  
Molly walked out the prison as fast as she could. She stood against the building trying to catch her breathe. There was something about the way Karnage had said he wanted her to stay that made her uncomfortable. *I pray he isn't becoming fascinated over me.* 


	6. chapter 6

Writer note: I'm looking for a beta-reader for this series. Can anyone help??? Email me at coneflower24@juno.com. I did have a beta-reader, but she disappeared! Terra, if your reading this, I been emailing you but the emails keep coming back!  
  
***  
  
There was unusual tension radiating from Molly that night at the dinner table. She periodically glanced up at everyone with a weak smile stationed on her face. She picked at her food as if eating wasn't a need anymore. Baloo stared at her mostly, his gazing whittling her down. He always liked feeling Molly's sunny presence at the end of a long day of shipping cargo. But today, her wistful attitude was burning a hole in his heart.   
  
"Hey Buttonnose, what's wrong? You been moping around; pickin' at your food. Why so dreary?"  
  
Molly raised her head then cocked it innocently. "I'm not dreary. I'm just not hungry" she replied, downing a gulp of her water and taking a bit of spaghetti for good measure.   
  
"Molly, Baloo's right" Kit added from across the table. "You've been acting all down since you got back from the Marina. Did something happen today you want to talk about?" said the ever-big-brother-parent-tone she dreaded from Kit.   
  
She answered with a flat out, "No." Her audience was not fooled.   
  
"Molly, honey, you can tell us what's troubling you" Rebecca said, rubbing her daughter's back. "Did you and Shawn have a fight?"  
  
Molly almost burst out in hysterics, the pressure weighting severely on her brain. "This has nothing to do with Shawn." She dreaded to answer another question.   
  
"What's bothering you?" Now Guinna joined in on ganging up on her.   
  
"You don't want me to tell you this. You would not like it."  
  
"How do we know if we don't want to hear it if we don't even know what it is."  
  
Molly let out a defeated snort. She knew an ambush was hanging on the forefront of this conversation. How long did she think she could keep the knowledge of her secret meetings with Karange hidden? How she got into the prison to actually hold sessions with him was a miracle in it's self. It would take another miracle for her whole family not to murder her over it.   
  
"You guys persistently keep hammering me about this, so I'll tell you." She took a deep breathe, dangling her audience in suspense. "For over two months, I've been going to the local prison and counseling Don Karnage." She sank in her chair, awaiting a blow or two or ten. It was either her mother or Kit who would blow up first, most likely Kit. His had been reduced to a pin-strip since he returned from war. For once, she hated to be right.   
  
"What the…?!?!?" Kit barely swore, especially in front of ladies, but this was his exception. A hatred so severe he felt for Karnage, he didn't even realize how much his anger got the best of him. He smacked a fist against the tabletop, ultimately shaking the plates and persons sitting in front of them. "What the heck are you doing going to see Karnage?! You've been hanging around with that crazed lunatic! How could you?!" Kit immediately stormed out the building. Guinna flicked a panic look at Molly then dashed after him.  
  
"Please, let me explain!" Molly yelled, presently standing. Never had she heard Kit's voice that harsh toward her. "Please, let me explain" she said more weakly now that he had disappear through the door.   
  
"You better explain, young lady."   
  
Molly's shoulders drooped at the stern voice of her mother.   
  
"Because I'm going to loose my temper in a moment! And I won't be as kind of Kit to walk away!" Rebecca shouted.  
  
Molly turned swiftly toward her mother, her face brimming with defiance. "You know I want to be a counselor. I've studied psychology all my teenage life. I'm practically a walking psychology book! I wanted desperately to know why Karnage is the way he is. I -needed- to know."  
  
"Karnage is the way he is because he's a psychotic maniac who deserves every bit of punishment he gets in prison!"  
  
"Listen to me, Mother! Karnage is not psychotic! I'm not saying he doesn't deserve punishment! I -had- to counsel him or I would never of gotten peace over what he did to us. I have learned so much from this experience, and I've learned so much about Karnage. He's not what you think he is."  
  
Rebecca's eyes seemed to shoot arrow right through her. Not a word from Molly had seeped in. "Molly, you are just a child! Going into prisons and holding casual conversations with prisoners is ludicrous! It's also an insult to your family to be congregating with Don Karnage!"   
  
"Mother, I am not a child! I'm almost an adult! You been gone so long you claim I'm still a little five year old who knows nothing about the world! If I want to congregate with prisoners, I'll dang well do it, because you can't stop me. I don't listen to you anymore!"  
  
That did it for Rebecca. If a person was capable of spontaneously combusting, Molly and Baloo would of been torched. She wanted to come across the table, and give her daughter a good slap on the mouth for talking to her like that, but thankfully, Rebecca stayed planted in place.   
  
"Molly Elizabeth Cunningham, as long as you live under my roof, you will obey me. Do you hear me?!"  
  
"Loud and clear" Molly said before heading out the building calmly, trying to collect herself.   
  
"Where are you going?!" Rebecca shouted, running out with her.  
  
Molly didn't answer. She keep walking down the harbor not turning back.  
  
***   
  
Molly slunk down the harbor, shoulders turned in and hands stuffed in her capri pockets. She could see Kit and Guinna in the distance near their property. She was almost there when Kit caught sight of her. His face burned with madness. Guinna held her hand to his chest, said something in her soothing tone, and then walked up to meet her. Molly could read the question on her face.  
  
"Why did you do it?"  
  
With a passion Guinna made never seen in her little sister before, Molly answered, "All my life I saw Karnage as one thing - a thieving monster. I only went to the prison to get the answer of his reason for being the horrible person I thought he was. I found so much more than I bargained for."  
  
Guinna gazed at her in desperation. Twice Karnage had taken a parent away from her, but the emotion of his need for her was permanently embedded in her brain. "What did you find?"   
  
Molly breathed in a sigh, tears beginning to swell in her eyes. "Out of everything he has done to me, to you, to Kit, to everyone I love. The more I counseled him, the more I couldn't help but look at him as a person with a past that lead to his destruction; a childhood filled with no love. I can't see him as a monster anymore."  
  
Guinna stared in disbelief. Molly was utmost serious of all she'd just said. Before Guinna could say anything Molly continued, "He said he was sorry for the hurt he caused you. You can believe it or not, but I believe him. He gave me this to prove it."   
  
Molly slipped out the browned folded paper from her pocket, handing it to her sister. "Karnage never received love as a child. When someone actually treated him with care, he didn't know how to handle it. You showed him what it was like to care for someone, that's why he became so fixated on you. He didn't think he could get it anywhere but from you. Will you open it?"  
  
Guinna looked down at the folded paper in her hand. She carefully unwrapped it to reveal a crayoned drawing of the seashore. In the far right corner was small writing: 'G.K. 1934'. She blinked in surprised, a hand covering her gaped mouth.  
  
'I looked down at you and you looked right back into my eyes without a fear in the world then you handed me a paper. It was a little drawing you did of the ocean.'  
  
"This is the drawing I gave him. He was telling the truth." She looked up. Molly face brimmed with sadness like a the loss of a friend. "What happen between you two?"  
  
A gurgle escaped Molly's throat. "I'm not sure. I feel like I know Karnage as a real person now. Sometimes we could talk non-stop for two hours; sometimes anger would get the best of him and we'd ride it out until it faded. If he was going overboard with his flamboyance, I could somehow be able to put him in his place. We worked through his problems, and I was able to get to the heart of where his life went wrong."  
  
"You grew close to him, didn't you?"  
  
Molly bit her lip, nodding. "It wasn't supposed to happen." She heaved then turned and clinched her fist. "I wasn't supposed to like him, let alone befriend him. It happened anyway! There's nothing I can really do about it. I got the answer to my question, but found more than I bargained for." She grasped Guinna's hands. "I'm sorry I betrayed everyone especially you, but I needed to know him."  
  
"I understand." Guinna reached out her hand, running her fingers through Molly's golden hair. "I'm glad you have the answer now." She wrapped her arms around Molly, pulling her close.   
  
Molly's mind exploded in relief. She clutched Guinna's shirt. "I hope Kit doesn't hate me."  
  
Guinna pulled her away to face her. "He could never hate his little sister." She glanced behind her to see Kit staring out at the harbor. "Go talk to him."  
  
"He doesn't want to see me right now."  
  
"Don't let his anger put you off. Go talk to him."  
  
With that, Guinna pushed her little sister in Kit's direction. Molly walked cautiously towards her brother, preparing her metal brick wall for any harsh statements.   
  
"What do you want?" Kit snarled, eyes still set on the harbor in front of him.  
  
"I want to say I'm sorry. I had to do this; to answer the nagging question I've had in the back of my mind for years."  
  
"What would that be?" Kit asked, half-mocking. Hr turned to face her now. His eyes burned still with the cruel glare Molly hadn't seen for years.  
  
Molly hesitated, fumbling for the right words. "I had to know for myself who Karnage was, and why he did the awful things he did."  
  
"That's not hard to guess, Molly" Kit said, as if she were dumb. He jammed a hand into his pocket leaving his other to sweep around the harbor. "He's a madman."  
  
"Kit." Molly heaved in frustration. "You're being more immature than Karnage! Please let me explain!" Kit burned at her, but gesturing her to go on. "I found out Karnage had a cruel childhood. His father was a pirate, but treated him like crud he scraped off his shoe. His mother was basically a whore. He grew up around very violent people, and saw some horrible acts of violence. He had never known what love was."  
  
"I didn't grow up in a loving environment either" Kit threw back. "Heck, I was apart of the air pirates for a year."  
  
"But, you were born in a loving family. You're parents cherished you. You were barely thirteen when H&H became your home."  
  
"So, you're just going to give pity to the murderous thief." Kit's mocking tone hadn't changed.  
  
Molly stepped forward, suppressing the urge to slap him. "Kit, grow up! For the past few years it's felt like I've gone forward and you've gone backwards. Why are you acting so immature?"  
  
Kit stepped forward as well, coming only two feet from Molly. "You don't know what I went through! Being shipped from orphanage to orphanage; getting caught up in the street gang and the air pirates; not to mention everything you know I've been through in the pass years."  
  
"Kit" Molly said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Stopping looking backwards and look forward for once. You have so much before you. Focus on that, not the hurts of the past. You, of all people, should know that by now."  
  
It was words Kit -had- heard so many times before, and he was frankly quite sick of them. What did that have to do with Karnage? He gazed at Molly with unreadable eyes. She stared back, desperation spreading across her face. It was the same desperation he'd seen in her when he was on the edge of quitting life all together after the war. The barely eleven-year old girl laid a hand on his shoulder, tears streaming down her pale cheeks, and the only word coming from her mouth - please.   
  
He sighed, reaching out a hand and pulling Molly to him. He didn't know what to think of her right now. The betrayal was not gone, but he had to show her he still loved her.   
  
"I'm sorry for blowing up at you."  
  
Molly pulled away from him, wiping her cheeks with her hand. "I'm sorry I hurt you. Can you forgive me?"  
  
Kit didn't smile, but his eyes held a lighter feeling. "How can I stay mad at my little sister?" 


	7. chapter7

Writer note: A gigantic THANK YOU to Tarra for being my beta-reader for the past few chapters.   
  
***  
  
February 23, 1949  
  
The day of the trial had come. Molly had dreaded it the most. It had been a week since she had unwillingly informed her family of the meetings with Karnage. Now she had to be in the same courtroom with both her family and Karnage. Even worse, she, Kit, and Baloo had to testify. Molly entered the courtroom first before the rest of the family could. She was almost to the first bench on the left side when she saw two guards leading Karnage in, shackled. His eye caught her standing there, and a wicked smirk spread across his face. He halted in front of her.  
  
"Molly, you're here."   
  
"I've been called to testify, so I have to be here. But I'd be here even if I didn't have to testify. How are you holding up?" she asked before Karnage could engage on her former sentence.  
  
Karnage shrugged a shoulder. "What can I say? I deserve what I get, though I do not want it."  
  
"You do have to pay for what you've done, but it isn't your fault you were raised the way you were. Remember that."  
  
"I will. You make so much good sense, Molly. Thank you for understanding."  
  
Molly nodded, and gave a small smiled. The guards pushed Karnage on seating him at a table with his lawyer, a seedy looking meerkat named Mr. Flanery.   
  
Only a minute later, the H&H crew walked in and sat at the first bench with Molly. The gorilla bailiff stood tall at the judge's door. His deep, baritone voice boomed over the courtroom. "All rise. Court is now in session. Case number 141: Usland Republic vs. Felipe Karnage. The honorable Judge Harold J. Weiss presiding."  
  
A fat, long-furred opossum walked into the courtroom. He sat down at his bench and put on his reading glasses. "You may be seated." Everyone sat. He straightened the papers up on his desk. "Now, then. Let's begin. Mr. Wilder, please start us off."  
  
A sophisticated leopard stood up from his chair on the left side of the courtroom. "Thank you, Your Honor. We have all heard of the murderous pirate, Don Karnage. But, the scam he's been running for over ten years was the cutting edge of his wretchedness. He took innocent people away from their families and enslaved them on an island in the middle of the Tangelo Sea so they could make products for him to sell or trade with illegal traders and smugglers."   
  
Molly cringed; twinges of her long hatred for Karnage and need to help him now mixing together to create a wrenching knot in the pit of her stomach.   
  
"I would like to call my first witness, Mr. Kit Cloudkicker."  
  
Kit walked up to the stand. The bailiff came up to him with the Holy Book. Kit placed his hand over it and his other in the air.  
  
"State your full name."  
  
"Krisopher Payton Cloudkicker."   
  
"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"  
  
"I do."   
  
"You may be seated."  
  
Kit sat.  
  
"Mr. Cloudkicker. How long have you known Mr. Karnage?"  
  
"Twelve years."  
  
"And how did you meet?"   
  
"I was hanging around an airfield when I met up with some of Karnage's men. At that time, I wanted for someone to teach me how to fly and I wanted a place where I could stay instead of living on the streets. I asked if I could join the air pirates, and they didn't mind. Karnage actually liked the idea of a kid pirate. Said I reminded him of himself at the time."  
  
"How long were you with the air pirates?"  
  
"A year."  
  
The leopard paced around the room with his hands behind his back.  
  
"Why did you leave the air pirates?"  
  
"I got tired of them. Besides, they never taught me to fly as they said they would. Hey, isn't Karnage the one on trial; not me."  
  
"No more questions, Your Honor" Mr. Wilder said, sharply turning away.  
  
"Your witness, Mr. Flanery."  
  
The meerkat jumped when his name was called, putting down the pencil he was playing with. He stood. "Oh, no questions, Your Honor."  
  
"Mr. Cloudkicker, you may leave the bench."  
  
Kit stepped down.   
  
"Call your next witness, Mr. Wilder."  
  
"Thank you, Your Honor. I call Mr. Baloo Beaudin to the stand."  
  
"State your full name." Started the whole routine over again.   
  
"Baloo Beaudin."  
  
"Do you swear to tell the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"Take your seat."  
  
Mr. Wilder strode up to the bench. "Mr. Beaudin, you have had many run-ins with air pirates being a cargo pilot, correct?"  
  
"Yes, sir, I have for several years."  
  
"You were one of the many unwillingly taken to his slave island in the Tangelo Sea?"  
  
"Yeah, I was. My boss was too."  
  
"How were you treated there?"  
  
"They made us work a lot, but we never went hungry or harmed. We were threatened a lot when we didn't work hard enough."  
  
"Thank you, Mr Beaudin. Your witness, Mr. Flanery."  
  
The meerkat stood. "No questions, Your Honor."  
  
Molly drew in a deep breath, almost a hiss. Mr. Flanery was being nothing but a bump on a log. It crossed her mind why Karnage wasn't ranting and raving at his lawyer for not defending him, but the thought faded as she made her way to the right side of the courtroom as they changed witnesses, and tapped Karnage's lawyer on the shoulder. "Mr. Flanery, I'm getting very angry that you're not defending your client."  
  
The meerkat just smirked, and replied, "Why should I even bother? Everyone knows he's guilty."  
  
"Well, I suggest you start defending your client or I'll make you wish you never became a lawyer" Molly hissed, mirroring her mother's sharp spat to a 'T'.   
  
The scrawny meerkat swallowed, feeling threaten by the young bearess. As the witnesses came up and testified, it got closer to Molly's turn. She didn't know if she would be able to keep her cool.   
  
"My next witness is Miss Molly Cunningham."  
  
Molly stood and walked up to the stand.  
  
"State your full name."  
  
"Molly Elizabeth Cunningham."  
  
"Do you swear to tell the truth the whole truth and nothing but the truth?"  
  
"I do."  
  
"You may be seated."  
  
Mr. Wilder stepped up to Molly.  
  
"Ms. Cunningham, under what circumstances did you and Mr. Karnage meet?"  
  
"Uh… when I was five, he kidnapped my mother and me."  
  
"Did you appreciate that?"   
  
"Nooo, of course not. I didn't understand at the time why he did it. I just knew a bad man that had taken us."   
  
"In recent years, you were in mourning for your mother and friend because Mr. Karnage pushed them off his ship?"  
  
"Yes, sir. But it turned out my mom and friend were very much alive on his island."  
  
"You weren't furious at him for making you think your mother was dead?"  
  
"Yes, I was furious. I hated Karnage. But, for years I have studied many different forms of psychology and I understand him now."  
  
"You understand him? How is that?"  
  
"I've been counseling Karnage for over two months. I found out that he wasn't loved as a child. He didn't know anything but piracy. All he wanted was attention. That's why he acted out."   
  
"By killing innocent people?"   
  
"We only assume that he has actually killed people. What if he hasn't? He has a problem with control that was genetically handed down from his father who was also a pirate captain."   
  
"Ms. Cunningham, are you a licensed psychologist?"  
  
"No, sir."  
  
"How old are you, Ms. Cunningham?"  
  
"Seventeen."  
  
"You are only a teenager. Like -you- know anything about a person's mind. You're just an ignorant child."  
  
"Excuse me, Mr. Wilder!" Rebecca shouted, standing up. "My daughter is not an ignorant child. She is more intelligent then you will ever be."  
  
The crowd began whispering. Kit and Baloo guffawed at her comment.  
  
"Order! There will be order in my court!" Judge Weiss yelled, banging his gavel. The crowd ceased.   
  
"Now, Ms. Cunningham, would you want to see Mr. Karnage put to death?"  
  
"I may have five months ago, but not now. The change I see in him is effective. I'm not saying he doesn't deserve to go to prison. He doesn't deserve to die. That's no way to treat anyone. No telling what kind of mental disorders a person put to death had and no one knew about it. That's because no one cared. I helped Karnage overcome his troubles. He's not cured and never will be, but I have seen a change in him. I can tell by analyzing the way he puts his words and his actions."  
  
"All people like Karnage should be put to death. We have no room in this world for people who can't handle themselves" the leopard retorted. "People like you, Ms. Cunningham" he murmured to her.  
  
"Mr. Wilder, there is no room in this court house for a comment like -that- and there is especially no room on this earth for you! You talk about Karnage being bad. Have you taken a look in the mirror? You're just as disgusting and obnoxious as Karnage was. Should you be put to death too? Because, its lowlifes like -you- that make this world corrupt!"  
  
Mr. Wilder couldn't stand it. He was about to bust when Molly got up and stormed out the courtroom. The judge banged his gavel furiously, and then ordered a ten-minute break.  
  
It wasn't much time before the verdict was in. All the witnesses had been questioned and the two attorneys made their final argument. It only took the jury an hour to decide. They said guilty and life in prison with no parole. The crowd cheered knowing that there will never be another attack on the city of Cape Suzette by Don Karnage again. Molly walked up to him before he could be lead away. "I can't say that I'm sorry."  
  
"That is okay. I knew I was going to jail for life."  
  
"I'll come visit you before they ship you off to Angola Prison, okay?"  
  
"Thank you."  
  
"Don't mention it."  
  
* * *  
  
That night, Molly went to visit Karnage one last time. Kit went with her. Even though she had been going there for alone for over two months, he wanted to be her protector just in case. They walked into the meeting room where Karnage was waiting.  
  
"Hullo, Molly" he greeted. Kit appeared behind her. "I see you brought a bodyguard."  
  
Molly sat at the table as always. "He insisted on coming."  
  
"Just in case you do anything to hurt Molly" Kit informed, stepping forward dangerously. "I'll be right outside the door if you need me."  
  
"I have no request for you, Cloudkeeker" Karnage remarked as Kit was leaving the room. "Molly is perfectly safe with me."  
  
"I'd only believe that if you were dead" Kit replied.  
  
Molly was feed up and closed the door. "So, do you have anything you want to talk about or ask me?"  
  
"Yes. Will you be visiting me in Angola?"  
  
"I don't think I can go there."   
  
"It's best that you don't."  
  
"Why?"  
  
Karnage leaned in closer to her, covering her hand with his. "You are the one, Molly. The only one who understands me. I'm letting you go."  
  
"Letting me go?"  
  
"You will understand soon" Karnage replied with a strange look in his eye that prick suspicion in the back of Molly's mind. "Be happy to live your life with your perfect little family."  
  
"I will."   
  
He stood her up and led her to the door. "Good-bye, Molly Cunningham."  
  
"Good-bye, Karnage." 


	8. chapter 8

Brianna: Actually, I re-do every chapter ;) But yeah, I did change it from Guinna to Baloo testifying b/c I realized that it would be more effective if Baloo or Rebecca testified and Baloo seemed the better.   
  
superstar: lol, I'm not sure how to explain Guinna not getting pregnant in the five years of marriage. I don't know what I was thinking four years ago, but I never actually paid much mind anyway to that fact.   
  
***  
  
March 24, 1949  
  
Kit didn't suspect a thing. Guinna had surprised him with a birthday breakfast for two that morning, and promised a dinner with the family that night. The rest of the day Baloo made sure he kept Kit busy with deliveries in Barlow.  
  
"Hey Britches, how 'bout a quick stop at Louie's?" Baloo asked nonchalantly, as they flew home.  
  
Kit shook his head, knowing matter-a-factly that a quick stop at Louie's usually turned into hours of wild dessert concoctions, pina coladas, and wobbly dancing. "I don't think so, Papa Bear. I really want to get home to Guinna."  
  
"Awww…c'mon Kit." Baloo playfully punched him in the shoulder. "We've had a hard day. We need a coolin' off time before gettin' home. Besides, it's your birthday! I'm sure that Girly-girl is just fine. Give her a ring when we get to Louie's since you can't pick her up on the radio."  
  
A minute passed, and Kit nodded in decision. "All right. I guess we could cool off for a while. But no pina coladas."  
  
"You got a deal." Baloo grinned. It was easier than he thought it'd be.  
  
They traveled a couple more miles until Louie's Cabana was in sight. Kit landed. Father and son stepped out the Stargazer to find the dock empty save for two planes tied to the dock. One was of a neighbor's down the harbor in Cape Suzette and the other was a plane Kit never seen in that area. It was a beautiful plane to any pilot's eyes; shiny navy blue in color and yellow trim on the wings and tail. It looked absolutely brand new. Kit knew the build: a Sharpshooter X-25. The model was used mostly as a warplane, but some civilians owned one. No one Kit knew in Cape Suzette did though. As they passed in front of it, Kit looked back and noticed in gray the words 'War Hero'.   
  
"Whoever owns that plane must be very important."  
  
A smile tugged at Baloo's lip, but he suppressed a full-blown smile. "Must be."  
  
They strolled through the open front door to find it dark and deserted inside. Worry automatically flooded through Kit's head. "What's going…???"   
  
Before he could finish the question, the lights flicked on suddenly and a roar of "Surprise!" rang through the joint. Kit blinked, frozen for several seconds. He watched as everyone there came out from their hiding places. All his family was there.  
  
Guinna sauntered up to him as best she could being seven months pregnant. "How do you like?"  
  
"What is it?" Kit asked puzzled, though he knew exactly what it was.  
  
"A surprise party, silly!" Guinna planted a wet kiss on his cheek.   
  
Kit raised an amused eyebrow. "I'm guessing this is the birthday dinner with the family?"  
  
"You bet it is!" Baloo answered, slapping him on the back. "Happy birthday, Kit-boy!"  
  
"Happy birthday, Kit" Rebecca said, kissing on the opposite cheek. "Did you suspect anything?"  
  
Kit shrugged a shoulder. "Honestly, I didn't."  
  
"Happy birthday, Kit!" Molly ambushed her brother with a bear hug. She pulled back from him, a strange look on her face. "You look so ancient."  
  
"And you'll regret saying that." She knew that tricksy tone. Before Molly could get away, Kit wet his finger and landed it in her ear.  
  
"EWW!" Molly wiped her inner ear with her sleeve. She heard her mother mumble 'only my daughter', but ignored the comment. "I meant ancient in a good way."  
  
"Sure you did!" Kit laughed then added in mock-sternness. "Don't mess with your older brother."  
  
"Molly, I think I'll rescue you before Kit makes good on his threat" Shawn said as he walked up. He shook Kit's hand. "Happy birthday, sir."  
  
"Thanks, Shawn."  
  
The two teens made off for the bar to grab a coconut ice cup.   
  
"Kit" Wildcat said, coming up from behind. "Did you figure it out yet?"  
  
"What, Wildcat?"  
  
"Did you figure out what the surprise is?" Wildcat scratched his head. "'Cause I know I'd still be wondering what it was, man?"  
  
Kit smiled. "Yeah, Wildcat, I did."  
  
"Good, 'cause I wouldn't be able to figure it out if I was in your shoes."  
  
Wildcat walked off. Not even a minute later, a pair of hands lovingly wrapped around Kit's neck. He felt the warm belly of his wife against his back, and smiled at the reminder of their coming child. The aching fear of hurting their child had faded in the past months watching Guinna's belly grow larger and feeling almost everyday the baby kicking. From that, Guinna had dubbed the baby 'Little Kicker'.  
  
"Is this your doing?"  
  
Guinna moved to the front of him, hands still around his neck. Kit slid his arms around her waist. "Okay, I admit" Guinna started, a shamed look on her face. "I'm guilty as charged."  
  
Kit took inventory of the room for the first. He hadn't even noticed the painted banner hanging above the bar. He thumbed a finger toward it. "Did it all yourself?"  
  
"No, Rebecca and Molly helped, but I planned the whole thing." Guinna was smiling, and he could see the 'glow' spoken about radiating from her. He leaned close to her ear, and whispered, "I love you, Gigi. Thank you for this."  
  
"Your most welcome" she whispered back as they drew closer, touching foreheads. It never failed. Just as Kit drew in for a kiss, someone shouted his name over the scat music that just began blaring from the stage. It seemed Scatcat and his band, The Crazy Spinners, had arrived and started playing their swingin' music.   
  
Kit sighed, pulling away. "Papa Bear beckons me away."  
  
"I'll be over there with Wildcat. I need to take a seat; my feet are killing me."  
  
"I'll be keeping an eye on you."  
  
"When do you not?"  
  
With that, Kit watched Guinna walk away then headed over to the bar.   
  
"Hey fuzzy, how old are ya today?" Louie asked as Kit took a seat on the stool beside Baloo.  
  
Kit hesitated for a moment as if afraid to answer. "Twenty-five, Louie."  
  
"Whoa, you're gettin' up there! Man, I must be ancient then."  
  
"Count me in as being ancient too, Louie" Baloo put in.  
  
"Baloo, even when you were young, you acted ancient." Louie remarked, receiving a laugh from Kit and scowl from Baloo.   
  
"Hey! I ain't that lazy, am I?"  
  
"Is that a trick question?" Rebecca asked, innocently.   
  
Baloo slumped on his stool, shifting his weight to lean heavily on the bar. "Har, har, har. Let's make me the center of jokes tonight."  
  
Rebecca felt a hand touch her back. She turned to find O'Malley behind her. A delighted gleam lit up in her eyes. Seeing O'Malley was always a highlight. "Thomas, you made it!"  
  
"Of course, I did" he said, moving beside her. "It's ole' Kit's birthday, and I wouldn't want to miss an evening with you. Hey Kit, happy birthday."  
  
"Thanks, O'Malley."   
  
O'Malley led Rebecca off to dance. "Hey Fuzzy." Kit turned his attention back to Louie. "Since ya lady informed me you hate the whole birthday-song-blowing-out-candles-thing, this is yours…specially made." Louie reached under the bar and pulled out a deep glass bowl with half a dozen scoops of various flavors of ice cream atop a chocolate cake. Cherries formed in a twenty-five atop whip cream finished off the dessert. "Wow…"   
  
Baloo's eyes bugged out at the sight of such an amazingly, scrumptious looking dessert. "How come you never given me one of those for my birthday?"  
  
"Why should I when you get everything else free!"  
  
"Baloo, I think I'll need help eating this anyway" Kit said, handing him a spoon.   
  
"How beautiful, Louie!" Guinna exclaimed, grabbing a spoon. Kit held back a laugh at the sight of his wife almost drooling over the gigantic ice cream concoction.   
  
The cabana boomed with swing music. Though there weren't many guests, most everyone was up dancing. Baloo and Louie were fighting over who was going to dance with Rebecca while O'Malley was playing his string bass with the band. Molly stepped in for Guinna on the dance floor with Kit. After an hour of partying, Guinna climbed on stage (with Scatcat's help) and was given the microphone.   
  
"Excuse me everyone! As you know, it's Kit's twenty-fifth birthday." Even though the guest list only consisted of family and close friends, an embarrassed Kit tried to hide behind Baloo. "I'm thankful we could all be here to celebrate it. I've waited months for this moment, and I can't wait any longer! I want to give Kit his first present from Wildcat, Baloo, and me. Please step outside, but come get me first!"   
  
Kit hurried over to Guinna's outstretched arms, and supported her by the waist as she stepped off the stage. They made their way outside, everyone else following behind. Guinna glanced back to make sure Rebecca had the camera. She stopped him right before the dock started.   
  
"See that plane right there?" Guinna pointed at the navy blue plane docked a dozen feet in front of them.   
  
"Yeah, that's a Sharpshooter X-25. They used that model in the Second Great War; one of the fastest planes in the world. Why?"  
  
Guinna smiled broadly. "It's yours."  
  
For a moment, Kit remained silent in utter shock from her words. He'd always dreamed of owning a plane ever since he was just a little boy, a plane that was -his- only. All the money he had saved as a teenager had gone to buying their new cargo plane, one that he placed in Guinna's name as a surprise birthday present five years ago. But now he stared in awe at the Sharpshooter X-25 as overwhelming joy flooded his brain. He didn't even notice Rebecca snapping pictures.  
  
Kit stepped forward a few feet then turned to face Guinna. "How'd you keep this from me?"  
  
"Mr. Turnbottom down the harbor let Wildcat and Baloo use his covered hanger to refurbish it."   
  
"Yeah, it's not new" Wildcat added. "We found it in a scrape pile and bought it for almost nothing!"  
  
"Do you like it, Kit?" Baloo asked.  
  
All Kit could do was nod vigorously. Guinna could see the tears gathering in his eyes. She stepped to him, cupping his cheek with her hand. That was everyone's cue to head back inside. The two needed a moment alone.   
  
"Why did you name it 'War Hero'?"  
  
"Because that's what you are."  
  
"I never claimed to be a hero."  
  
"Well, I do. You served in the air force, rescued a fellow pilot, received the Purple Heart, and came home to me. You are my hero."  
  
Kit stared clear into her eyes, finding only love and respect. Not once had he found fear or grudge inside her, not even when he hurt her. He never understood why he was given such an amazing woman, but was thankful for the fact that she was his. Guinna let herself be pulled into a close embrace, into a hold that fit her perfectly, like it was made just for her. They'd been through heaven and hell, and had been able to look back.  
  
***  
  
May 1, 1949  
  
The stillness of the night was interrupted as a hollowing scream pierced the air. Kit jolted out of a dreamless sleep, flipping on the bedside lamp. Guinna lay beside him, holding her stomach and wincing in pain.   
  
"Guinna, what's wrong?!" Kit touched her forehead, smoothing back the sweaty strands of hair that had fallen in her face.  
  
"It hurts." She swallowed deeply. "It's hard to breath. I think the baby is coming."  
  
"But, it's a month early!!!" he yelled, not realizing the volume of his voice growing as his anxiety rose.   
  
"Well, it's happening NOW!" she screamed, trying to turn on her side.   
  
The bedroom door flung open, and Rebecca rushed in. Baloo and Molly following behind seconds later. "What's going on?"  
  
"The baby is coming!" Kit shouted. He slipped his arms under Guinna, lifting her off the bed. Her added weight didn't once make him falter as adrenaline and fear swept through his body. "Get Wildcat to crank up his jalopie! We don't have time to wait for a cab!"   
  
Molly was gone in an instant. She ran, blinded by the dark, tripping occasionally on random obstacles. Finally outside, she hurried to Wildcat's houseboat and banged on the rickety door with the side of her clinched fist. She kept banging until a light snapped on.   
  
"Mollycat!" Wildcat said, surprised. "I thought my door was walking away!"  
  
Molly threw her hands on his shoulder, and pulled him out the houseboat. "Wildcat, Guinna is in labor! You need to get the jalopie started quick!"   
  
Before he could ask how Guinna could be in labor when the city of Labor was halfway across the ocean, Molly had drug him to the back of H&H. His rusted jalopie, that had once been green but had faded over several years of use, sat drooping and forlorn. Wildcat went to work right away, opening the hood and fiddling with the engine. He called to Molly to connect the wires inside the cab. The engine sputtered and stalled.   
  
"Come on, ole girl" Wildcat muttered. He grabbed his trusty wrench from his pocket and smacked the engine with it. The engine roared on. Wildcat shut the hood, proudly. "Just needed to give her a little encouragement." He walked around to the driver's side of the truck to find Kit gently setting Guinna inside the passenger side. The old truck wasn't necessarily fit for emergencies. The tattered, leather seat crackled and the springs groaned underneath the weight of the pregnant woman. Guinna was oblivious of almost everything around her. The birth pangs came every five minutes and lasted for a whole sixty seconds.   
  
Kit ran to the driver's side pushing aside Wildcat, shouting a frantic, "I'm driving!" He jumped into the driver's seat.   
  
"I'm the mother, I ride in the front!" Rebecca announced, barely being able to squeeze in beside Guinna. Molly, Baloo, and Wildcat hopped into the bed of the truck. Tthe old jalopie reared off, Kit's foot pressing the accelerator to the truck floor. The vehicle took off so fast Molly flew into Baloo. Kit sped down the street like a maniac, trying to keep the jalopie under control. Thankfully the streets of Cape Suzette were empty during the nighttime hours. He swerved around a curve, nearly on two wheels.   
  
Guinna smacked his shoulder, and yelled, "Slow down or you'll get us all killed!"  
  
The rest of the ride there was similar to that. The ride to the Cape Suzette General Hospital usually took about fifteen minutes from the bay. It only took five minutes with Kit's erratic driving. He leapt from the trunk, and in the blink of an eye had Guinna inside the hospital. The next couple hours were a blur. Doctors, nurses, and gurneys all mixed with a comforting pat on the shoulder from whoever was around all collided together. Kit found himself on the hospital floor, knees drawn up and elbows leaning on his knees. His head and shoulders were bent in worry and despair. The nurse at the front desk told him he couldn't be with his wife. It had been over two hours. He had to know what was happening! He climbed to his feet, and approached the front desk.   
  
"I want to be with my wife" Kit demanded.  
  
The young nurse - no more an eighteen - raised her view from the paperwork under her elbow to the man standing anxiously before her. "I'm sorry, sir, but you can't go in surgery. I'm sure you'll have news of your wife soon."  
  
"But I want news now!" Kit slammed his palm on the desk, making the nurse flinch. Just then, a large hand firmly gripped his shoulder and pulled him away.   
  
"Kit, you better calm down or you'll get thrown out" Baloo hissed at him.   
  
Kit's eyes burned in aggravation. "They won't let me see my wife."  
  
"You're not the only one worried about Girly-girl and the baby," Baloo was inches from his face trying to hammer the sense back into his boy. "but just because you're her husband doesn't qualify you to attack the hospital staff."   
  
"I can understand how easy it is to burst right now" Rebecca's voice came up from behind. Her arms were folded tightly to her chest, tension radiating from her. "I'm about to blow up myself. Why won't they tell us anything?"  
  
Another hour passed, then another. Kit was pacing absurdly near the surgery room. Baloo and Rebecca were quiet, but anxiously waiting in the in the hall. The sun was just making an appearance in the sky as Molly and Wildcat had gone to the cafeteria to get breakfast. The surgery door opened to reveal that doctor who'd taken Guinna. It only took two steps for Kit to meet him.  
  
"Doctor, what's going on? Is Guinna all right? Did she have the baby? Why couldn't I go in there?"   
  
The doctor raised a hand to quiet him. "Mr. Cloudkicker, calm down. Your wife is doing fine. At first she had complications with an internal air pocket, which caused her to go into premature labor, but I broke the pocket and her delivery went well after that. Even though the babies are premature, they're healthy and not as under developed as I feared. So, I'm happy to say you are the father of a healthy baby boy…and girl."  
  
It took more than a minute or two for Kit to digest the information that was given to him. But as he did, his eyes bulged and he stumbled back in shock. "A boy and girl?" he said, slowly.  
  
"That's right. Your wife had twins."  
  
Kit recovered quickly. "When can I see them?"  
  
"Right now. Follow me."   
  
He followed the doctor through the surgery door, which lead to a long recovery room. Guinna was in the bed closest to the surgery room. She appeared asleep, but was only resting. Her hair was sweaty and clumped on her shoulder. Her face looked worn, dark circles ringed under her eyes. Kit silently went to her, and sat at her bedside.   
  
Guinna stirred and opened her eyes. "Kit." A tired smile graced her lips.   
  
"Hey, babe." He kissed her forehead. "I was so worried about you. How are you feeling?"  
  
"I hurt, but I'll heal. Did the doctor give you the news?"  
  
"Yes, he did." The most content smile crossed Kit's face. "I can't believe we had twins. A boy AND a girl."  
  
"They're over there if you want to see them."  
  
Kit looked to his left, and for the first time noticed a small, oval crib. He stepped up to it, carefully reaching a hand in to touch the twins. They both looked exactly alike in size and appearance. You could even tell how very small they were under the blue wooly blanket that covered them. The girl adorned a red bonnet, and the boy a blue. "They're so tiny. Can I hold one?"  
  
Guinna nodded. "The doctor said it was all right. Just be very gentle."  
  
"Hello" a soft voice said. Guinna turned to see Rebecca and Baloo walk in. Rebecca made a beeline for Guinna, and gave her a soothing embrace. "How are you feeling?"  
  
"I hurt, but I'm all right. We have some little people who'd like to meet you."  
  
"Look, Becky" Baloo said, peering over Kit's shoulder where the baby girl lay. "Our grandkid." He cupped the baby's head in his hand, which fit perfectly.   
  
"Why don't you hold the other baby" Guinna suggested.   
  
Rebecca and Baloo straightened. "You had two?"  
  
Kit lightly chuckled. "I'm guessing the doctor didn't tell you we had twins?"  
  
"No" Rebecca said, dumbfounded. She peeked in the crib to find the boy baby asleep there. She gently scooped him up. "I haven't held a baby in so long. What do you plan to name them?"  
  
"The same names we were going to give them if we had a girl or boy" Guinna replied.  
  
"What would that be? You always kept it a secret."  
  
"This," Guinna reached out for the boy, letting Rebecca lay him in her arms. ", is Aaron Elias Cloudkicker."  
  
"And this," Kit finished. ", is Miranda Sabrina Cloudkicker." 


	9. chapter 9

May 25, 1949  
  
Graduation day came at last. 'As Molly finally walked across the stage to receive her diploma, Rebecca was in the audience crying. She had dreaded the day when Molly would graduate from high school and become an independent individual, but now she was overjoyed to see her daughter on that stage. Not all of her family was there though. Guinna had stayed home with the twins. They'd just left the hospital a few days before, and they needed her full time. Kit, Baloo, and Wildcat each volunteered to stay home with her but she insisted they go.   
  
After the ceremony and a short dinner with the family, Molly and Shawn went out to celebrate with their friends at the Cape Suzette Ocean Center. They walked alone hand in hand on the narrow, sandy shoreline.   
  
"Wow! I can't believe we're actually high school graduates. We can finally be on our own and do what we want" Shawn said, excitedly.  
  
"Yeah, I'm glad we're both going to U'n'U."  
  
"Me too." Shawn stopped, tugging Molly roughly against him. "How I've waited for this for so long; no more parents to get in the way."  
  
Molly laughed. "It will be a relief without Kit looking over my shoulder constantly." Shawn didn't reply, and silence gathered around them. He gazed down at her with an odd, lustful look in his eye - one Molly had never seen on his face. He advanced, catching her in a deep kiss. It was rougher than it usually was. Molly was enjoying it until a hand started to creep under her shirt and up her back. She pushed away, surprised.   
  
"What are you doing?"   
  
"I've waited to have you for so long. We can celebrate our independence." Shawn advanced again, but Molly stepped away. She stared at him in confusion.  
  
"Shawn, what's gotten into you?"   
  
He caught her shoulders, holding her at arm's length. "I love you, Molly, and I want to be with you."  
  
"I love you too, Shawn, and I want to be with you. But, now isn't the right time. Can't we wait until we're married?"  
  
Shawn stared blankly at her, not moving. Finally, he said with force, "I can't wait! We promised we'd get married after college and that could take three or four years! I want you NOW."  
  
Molly flinched at his sharp tone. She tried tugging away from his grip, but couldn't. "Shawn, you're scaring me. I'm sorry I can't be with you. If you truly loved me, you would wait."  
  
Shawn's expression turned angry, making Molly even more frightened. He stared at her long and hard, rubbing his thumbs agitatedly against her shoulders. Finally, he loosened his grip and turned on his heel not looking back. Molly stood frozen. Her fear had left with Shawn, but her mind exploded in a mixture of confusion and sadness. She had lost the first boy she'd ever loved.  
  
****  
  
Rebecca had caught Molly as she arrived home from the Ocean Center around eleven o'clock. Molly had tried to hide her tears, but her eyes were puffy and red. She zoomed passed her mother, straight to her room and shut the door. Molly ignored the soft knock at her bedroom door half an hour later. She snapped up her head when Rebecca touched her shoulder.   
  
"Molly, honey, are you all right?"  
  
"No." Molly replied, miserably. She wiped her tear-streaked cheeks with her hands.   
  
Rebecca sat next to her on her bed. "What happened?"  
  
"Let's just say I couldn't give Shawn what he wanted and we parted ways…not sweetly either."  
  
"Oh, honey, I'm sorry. I know he was your first love."   
  
Molly sat up on her elbows. "Mother, you don't have to give me pity."  
  
"I'm not."  
  
"Yes, you are. I can tell by your tone. I just feel like being alone, please."  
  
Rebecca stood, ready to leave, but stopped. "I need to tell you. Chief Anderson called tonight while you were gone. He said Don Karnage was killed this morning."  
  
It took several moments for Molly to process this horrible information. Her mouth dropped open and red eyes widened in utter shock. She stood, advancing toward her mother. "No…that can't be. Why would you say something like that?!"   
  
"I don't know details, but the Chief called himself. It has to be true" Rebecca said. She touched Molly's shoulder, but she jerked away.   
  
"Leave me alone, please."  
  
"But, Molly…"  
  
Her eyes blazed. "Please leave!"  
  
With that, Rebecca walked out the room and closed the door.  
  
***  
  
The night was long and the sleep was unpleasant. Molly tossed about, stranded in nightmares of shadowy figures carrying swords aimed ready to stab at her. Her last dream had been of a man standing over her, caressing her cheek with the back of his hand. It had been less frightening and more real than the others. She woke around six that morning. Light was just starting to peek through her curtains. She moved to sit up, as she did, her hand brushed against something crinkled under her pillow. Molly quickly pulled it out and received the shock of her life:  
  
To my dearest Molly,  
  
Yes, it is I, the great and talented Don Karnage. Right now you may think I am dead. But alas, I am not! I faked my death in order to be free. I know I do not deserve freedom, but I go to the Bagos where very many people do not have rights like Uslanders. I want to change my life, a second chance, as you would say. I will no longer be a pirate and steal and plunder and murder, but a working citizen. This will be the last time you hear from me. I cannot keep contact. I shall never forget you.  
  
the One and Only,  
  
Don Karnage  
  
Molly stared at the letter in disbelief. It didn't register until she read the letter over again and finally her disbelief wore off.   
  
"Oh, shoot!"   
  
************  
  
This is the end. LOL! Yeah, right! It's the end of this story, but the drama continues on in the next story. Thank you, Tarra, for being an awesome beta-reader!!! Thank you to everyone else who's been keeping up with this fic since the beginning! The series is no where close to being finished either :D 


End file.
